บท 8: The Ring Of Bat
With Cheese now in the mix, Jennifer, Arata, and the cheerful Undergrounder stood together, the night air heavy with tension and uncertainty. "Let's go get the ring," Cheese declared, determination etched on his face.
Arata still seemed skeptical about the situation.
"WAIT! BEFORE YOU GUYS GO, I NEED TO TELL YOU SOMETHING!" Jennifer shouted, stopping Cheese in his tracks.
"Hmmm?" Cheese turned around, his cheerful demeanor never faltering.
"That ring… it's sad… Whatever is inside the ring was calling for help. I remember hearing it at the mall," Jennifer said, her voice trembling with the memory.
"You were able to hear the ring?" Arata asked, surprise evident in his tone.
"That's a good sign. It means the ring might accept you," Cheese said with a smile, his eyes twinkling with newfound interest.
Still doubtful, Arata decided to call Elio via his ring. "Hey Arata, did you save the survivor?" Elio asked immediately.
"Yeah, I did, but there's something else on my mind," Arata replied, his voice steady.
"What is it, Arata?" Elio inquired, sensing the seriousness in his friend's tone.
"Is it possible to hear a ring talk?" Arata asked, the question hanging heavily in the air.
"WHAT? DID WOLF TALK TO YOU?" Elio's excitement was palpable.
"No… The bat was talking to the survivor," Arata clarified.
"WHAT? THAT'S UNBELIEVABLE! GET THE SURVIVOR TO WEAR THE RING! IT WILL STOP THIS HYBRID APOCALYPSE!" Elio's excitement turned to urgency.
"What do you mean?" Arata pressed, needing to understand the gravity of the situation.
"Basically, if a ring talks to you and acknowledges you, it means you can bring out 100% of the ring's power. The ring will obey everything you say and follow your path everywhere. This usually happens with leaders and commanders, but if that ring is connecting with the survivor, they can most probably handle the ring and are compatible with it," Elio explained, his words rushing out in a torrent.
"I see…" Arata seemed convinced after Elio's explanation and sighed. "I'm going to fight that big boss. He's a bat and he has the ring."
"WAIT, WHAT? YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO! That guy is feeding off the ring's energy. Undergrounders feed off the ring's pure energy," Elio warned.
"I have backup," Arata said confidently.
"You do?" Elio sounded confused.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Arata assured him, cutting the call just as Elio was about to say something more.
Arata turned to Cheese, "You and I are going to fight the hybrids, but what are you going to do after that?"
"Get the ring to the Queen," Cheese replied simply.
"Why help me?" Arata asked, suspicion lacing his words.
"We both have a common goal. What other reason?" Cheese smiled, but there was a hint of seriousness in his eyes.
"Why are you fighting your own kind?" Arata pressed.
"They are not created by the Queen but someone else," Cheese explained, his tone darkening.
"Who are you talking about?" Arata asked, but Cheese waved off the question.
"Too many questions, Ringmaster. Can we just go and defeat that Undergrounder?" Cheese's eyes this time were much more serious, almost pleading.
Arata sighed. "Fine, let's go…"
"What about me?!" Jennifer interjected, her voice strong despite her obvious fear.
"You stay safe. My squadmates will arrive soon," Arata said, trying to keep his voice calm and reassuring.
Jennifer shook her head, determination shining in her eyes. "I am coming with you. I think I can be a good distraction for those zombies."
Cheese sighed, "I will protect her."
"Jenny, do you have a steel weapon?" Arata's voice cut through the tense air, his eyes scanning the surroundings with a sense of urgency.
Jennifer, caught off guard, shook her head slowly. "No…" she responded, confusion evident in her eyes. The chaos around them was overwhelming, and the question seemed almost surreal amidst the battle.
Arata didn't waste a moment. His gaze became sharper, more focused, as he began to search with methodical precision. He rummaged through the trash nearby, his movements swift and deliberate. His hands sifted through the debris, pushing aside useless items with growing frustration.
Next, he moved to a nearby car, its windows shattered and the interior ransacked. He leaned in, searching through the glove compartment and under the seats. The tension in his shoulders grew with each passing second, but he didn't let it slow him down.
Finally, he turned his attention to the pockets of the fallen hybrids scattered around them. Arata's movements were efficient, his experience showing as he carefully checked each body. The atmosphere was thick with the stench of decay and the echo of distant screams, but Arata remained undeterred.
After what felt like an eternity, he found what he was looking for. In the pocket of a particularly menacing-looking hybrid, his fingers closed around the cold, familiar handle of a steel pocket knife. He pulled it out, the blade glinting ominously in the dim light.
"Use this," he said, his voice steady as he handed the knife to Jennifer. "Stab them in the heart. That's the only way to kill them." His eyes met hers, filled with a mixture of determination and a hint of desperation.
Jennifer nodded, gripping the knife tightly.
"Also, Why are you being nice to us?" Arata asked Cheese, still skeptical.
"Hey, not all Undergrounders are bad, alright?" Cheese replied, his cheerful demeanor back.
Arata sighed again, feeling the weight of responsibility. "You can rely on me to protect your girlfriend, Mister Ringmaster!" Cheese said with a grin.
"G-girlfriend?" Jennifer blushed, looking down at the ground, her cheeks turning a rosy hue.
Arata looked away, embarrassed. "We are not like that."
Cheese looked really confused but ended up going with their word, "Whatever you say, Mister." With that, the three of them walked towards the mall, each step bringing them closer to the impending confrontation.
Somewhere in Texas, the night sky was inked with stars as Alex drove down a deserted highway, his car slicing through the quiet night. The tension in the air was palpable. "What? ARATA FOUND SOMEONE WHO CAN USE THE RING OF VAMPIRE BAT?" Alex's voice was a mixture of shock and urgency as he spoke to Elio via the ring. Carly and Lila, sitting beside him, exchanged worried glances.
"Yeah, I will send you guys the location that Arata is heading to right now," Elio's voice crackled through the ring. Alex glanced at the GPS on his phone. The destination was about three hours away, and the dawn would break by the time they reached the mall.
"There is something else, sir," Elio's tone was cautious.
"What is it?" Alex asked, his grip tightening on the steering wheel, eyes fixed on the road ahead.
"Did any of you guys contact him?" Elio inquired, the concern in his voice mirroring Alex's own.
"No, why do you ask?" Alex's confusion and concern grew.
"It's because he said he had backup when I tried to stop him from fighting the big boss he kept talking about," Elio explained, his voice laced with anxiety.
"I will look into it," Alex assured him, though his mind raced with questions. He glanced back at his team, trying to gauge their reactions. Carly broke the silence, "So, Arata has found a survivor." Her voice carried a hint of disbelief.
"Yeah, all I found was dead people," Lila added, her tone somber. The weight of their mission was evident in her eyes. "Me too," she repeated, shaking her head.
Alex sighed, rubbing his temples. "Arata is going to fight the Undergrounder who is controlling the power of the ring all alone… He said he has backup." He looked over his shoulder, his gaze searching. "Do you guys have any idea who the backup is?"
Carly shrugged, "We both aren't close to him to really know about it."
"I mean, I thought you were the closest to him in our squad," Lila added, her voice tinged with curiosity and a bit of accusation.
Alex's expression hardened. "I am close to no one. It's better to have no attachments."
Lila scoffed, turning away to look out the car window. "Should've told that when you decided to take me."
"Come on! I thought you guys made up," Carly interjected, trying to diffuse the tension.
Lila's eyes flashed with anger. "I thought the same until he came up to me and said, 'Oh, it won't work out, Lila.' Like, don't BS my ass just because you could get mine." Her voice grew louder with each word, her anger palpable.
Alex clenched his jaw, his patience wearing thin. "You know, you don't even make sense."
"And you, my bad sir, don't even talk to me about your problems. Only saying it won't work out doesn't mean it won't work out!" Lila continued, her voice rising in frustration.
"Yeah, whatever, stop being annoying," Alex retorted, his tone dismissive.
Lila's eyes narrowed. "I am annoying now? Huh? Really? I am the annoying one. Okay, whatever, mister Alex Firecarrie. You stupid face big monkey." Her words were sharp, intended to wound.
Carly, who had been listening to their escalating argument, finally snapped. "GOD DAMN YOU BOTH ARE ANNOYING THE SHIT OUT OF ME! IF YOU WANT TO FIGHT LIKE A GODDAMN BROKEN COUPLE THEN TAKE THAT SHIT SOMEWHERE ELSE! NOT WHEN WE ARE ON A MISSION!" Her voice echoed through the car, a powerful reprimand that silenced them both.
"Woh… Didn't know you had it in you, girl. You are loud," Lila said, surprised by Carly's outburst.
"For real, didn't expect that," Alex added, his tone subdued.
Both Alex and Lila fell silent, chastened by Carly's eruption. The car was filled with an awkward, tense quiet, each of them lost in their own thoughts. The mission loomed large in their minds, but for a moment, they were just a group of friends struggling to navigate the complexities of their relationships amidst the chaos.
Inside the mall, the air was thick with tension. The dim, flickering lights cast long shadows across the debris-strewn floor. "Well, well, well, you are back, Ryuki Arata," Luke's mocking tone echoed through the space, a cruel smile playing on his lips as he watched Arata stride in, flanked by Cheese and Jennifer.
Arata's eyes locked onto Luke, his expression unreadable but his determination clear. "So this is the Undergrounder with the ring," Cheese said, his tone casual but his eyes sharp as he assessed Luke. He could sense the power radiating from him, the malevolent energy that marked him as a formidable opponent.
"He is mine, Cheese," Arata replied, his voice steady. The door to the mall shut with a resounding clang, sealing them in. Hybrids began to close in, their growls and snarls filling the air, creating a circle around the trio.
Arata turned to Cheese, his gaze earnest. "Please protect Jennifer like you said."
Cheese grinned, his usually playful demeanor replaced with a serious resolve. "You got it, Mister Ringmaster." He adopted a fighting stance, his eyes scanning the advancing hybrids for any sign of weakness.
Jennifer, her face set with determination, pulled out her knife and shrugged off her jacket, revealing a lithe, muscular frame. "Wow, you are in the groove," Cheese remarked, impressed by her readiness.
"My brother trained me to fight after an incident occurred about 8 odd years ago," Jennifer replied, her voice tinged with both sadness and resolve. The memory of her brother's teachings steeled her nerves, reminding her of the strength she had cultivated.
Arata nodded at his companions. "Alright, let's keep the casualties to a minimum and let's fight."
Everyone nodded in agreement, their resolve firm. Arata's voice rang out with authority, "Transform…Wolf…"
In an instant, he was enveloped in a radiant light, his form shifting into that of the ringmaster wolf. His senses sharpened, his body filled with the power of the ring. With a fierce growl, he launched himself at Luke, his movements a blur of speed and precision.
Inside the mall, the tension was palpable. "So, you decided to join the Undergrounders?" Luke taunted, his voice dripping with disdain.
Arata's eyes narrowed, his stance firm. "Just for this once, so there are no interruptions, and I take you down once and for all!"
With a primal roar, Arata launched himself at Luke, their collision sending shockwaves through the building. Their initial clash was a blur of motion, each strike resonating with the force of their determination. Arata's claws slashed through the air, narrowly missing Luke's face as he dodged and countered with a swift punch to Arata's ribs.
"Sadly, you don't have the strength!" Luke sneered, his foot connecting with Arata's midsection and sending him skidding across the floor. Arata gritted his teeth, the pain only fueling his resolve. He pushed off the ground, springing back to his feet and charging at Luke once more.
Their fight was brutal and unrelenting. Luke's movements were precise and powerful, each blow aimed to cripple and maim. Arata, fueled by his transformation and the weight of his mission, fought with a fierce tenacity. He dodged a vicious uppercut, retaliating with a powerful swipe that caught Luke across the chest, drawing blood.
Luke hissed in pain but smiled through it, enjoying the challenge. He lunged at Arata, their bodies colliding again in a flurry of punches, kicks, and claw strikes. The sound of their battle echoed through the mall, a cacophony of violence and struggle.
Arata felt every impact, his muscles straining, but he pushed through the pain. He managed to land a solid hit on Luke's jaw, snapping his head to the side. Luke staggered but quickly recovered, his eyes blazing with fury. "You'll regret that!" he growled, his fist connecting with Arata's shoulder in a bone-crunching punch.
Arata stumbled back, his vision blurring for a moment. But he steadied himself, refusing to back down. He could see the toll the fight was taking on Luke as well. Both were battered and bleeding, their breaths ragged.
Their battle continued, each exchange more desperate than the last. Arata ducked under a wild swing, driving his elbow into Luke's gut and following it up with a swift knee to the chin. Luke reeled but responded with a brutal kick to Arata's side, sending him crashing into a nearby column.
For a brief moment, they both paused, panting heavily. Arata's mind raced, searching for any weakness to exploit. Luke's eyes glinted with a mix of rage and dark amusement. "Is that all you've got, Ryuki Arata?"
"Not even close."
With renewed vigor, they charged at each other once more, their fight far from over. The mall seemed to tremble under the weight of their clash, the outcome hanging in the balance as they fought with everything they had, neither willing to give an inch.
On the other end of the battlefield, the scene was chaotic and desperate. Cheese and Jennifer fought valiantly against the seemingly endless swarm of hybrids, their goal to keep the casualties to a minimum proving increasingly difficult. Each hybrid they cut down seemed to be replaced by two more, their numbers multiplying with a relentless fury.
"If this continues, we'll be one of them," Cheese grunted, slashing through a hybrid with his claws, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
"Tell me about it," Jennifer responded, her voice strained as she plunged her knife into another hybrid. "Aru needs to end this fight quickly, or we'll soon be overrun."
As the hybrids closed in around them, Jennifer suddenly heard the voice again, a soft, pleading whisper amidst the chaos. "Wear me… Please… Stop their suffering…"
Jennifer's eyes darted to the table where the ring lay, gleaming ominously in the dim light. The ring, the source of so much pain and conflict, now called out to her with a sense of urgency and desperation. She felt a pull, a compulsion that she couldn't ignore.
Without a second thought, Jennifer broke away from the fight and sprinted towards the ring. "OYE! MISS RINGMASTER'S GIRLFRIEND! GOD DAMN IT!" Cheese shouted, his voice laced with panic and frustration as he fought his way through the hybrids to follow her. His attacks became more ferocious, slicing through the hybrids with renewed intensity as he tried to reach her.
Jennifer's heart pounded in her chest as she closed the distance, her mind racing. The voice grew louder, more insistent. "Wear me… End this…"
She reached the table, her hand trembling as she grasped the ring. She could feel its power pulsing through her, a strange warmth spreading from her palm up her arm. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, focusing on the voice and the weight of the responsibility she was about to undertake.
Behind her, Cheese fought desperately, his movements a blur of speed and precision as he battled the hybrids. He could see Jennifer holding the ring, a look of determination and fear etched on her face. "What are you doing?!" he shouted, his voice barely audible over the din of battle.
What the—The ring?" Luke's eyes widened with a mixture of shock and rage as he saw Jennifer holding the Vampire Bat ring. Realizing the imminent threat, he barked orders to his hybrids, "Attack her! Now!" He himself began to charge towards Jennifer, his eyes burning with fury.
"NO YOU DON'T!" Arata shouted, lunging at Luke in a desperate attempt to intercept him. But before anyone could reach Jennifer, a sudden, overwhelming surge of energy radiated from her, halting everyone in their tracks. The air crackled with power, and a luminous bat appeared, fluttering around Jennifer protectively.
"I feel your pain, Bat… Don't worry…" Jennifer murmured, her voice filled with empathy and resolve. The small bat hovered near her, its eyes glowing with gratitude and recognition. Its fur was a dark, velvety black, contrasting sharply with the soft, almost ethereal glow emanating from its body. The bat's wings were semi-translucent, like delicate membranes of moonlight, shimmering gently as it flitted about.
"What's that?" Arata gasped, his mind racing to comprehend the spectacle before him.
"No way… She summoned it… The Vampire Bat… Only twelve people in the whole world have done this before her…Who wore the ring have summoned the animal from the ring…" Cheese muttered in awe, his usual cheerfulness replaced by a reverent astonishment.
"Thank you! Thank you for freeing me." The bat spoke, its voice resonating with a mix of relief and joy. It perched gently on Jennifer's shoulder, nuzzling her cheek affectionately with its tiny, velvet nose. Its eyes, large and expressive, shone with an otherworldly intelligence and warmth.
"What is this bullshit?! WHERE DID THAT BAT COME FROM?!" Luke roared, his frustration boiling over. He launched another furious attack, but an invisible force repelled him, sending him crashing to the ground.
"Give me a name, Master! I am yours to command, and you are my master!" The bat declared with unwavering loyalty, its small, pointed ears twitching attentively.
"Bat… Bat… Vampire… Bat… How about, Vamby? Does it sound good?" Jennifer asked, her voice trembling slightly as she sought to ground herself in this surreal moment.
"SOUNDS GOOD, MASTER!" Vamby chirped, its wings flapping excitedly. Jennifer managed a sad smile, her eyes reflecting both sorrow and newfound strength. The bat's tiny claws gently gripped her shoulder, providing a comforting presence amidst the chaos.
"You can call me, Jennifer." She said softly.
"Understood, Master Jennifer." Vamby replied, its tone imbued with a deep respect. "I am sorry for earlier, Master Jennifer."
"It's alright, it wasn't your fault that my brother died… It was someone else's, and I won't forgive him for that." Jennifer's voice hardened with determination as she fixed her gaze on Luke.
"What the—" Luke stammered, his confidence wavering as he saw the resolve in Jennifer's eyes. As she began to walk towards him, the hybrids around the room started to revert to their human forms, their monstrous features fading away.
She slipped the ring onto her finger, feeling its power merge with her own.
As Jennifer slid the ring onto her finger, a radiant surge of energy enveloped her. Her entire body began to glow, and the air around her hummed with power. Vamby, sensing the transformation, fluttered around her excitedly before melding with the energy field.
Jennifer's outfit transformed first, her casual clothes dissolving into an intricate, sleek armor that shimmered with a dark, almost iridescent hue. The armor clung tightly to her form, accentuating every curve with precision. Her chest, notably large, became a focal point of the transformation. The armor contoured around her bosom, emphasizing its fullness and giving it a pronounced, almost regal appearance. The material was both flexible and form-fitting, allowing her the freedom of movement while highlighting her natural physique.
Her shoulders broadened slightly, and the armor extended down her arms, ending in gauntlets with intricate bat-wing designs etched into the metal. Her waist was cinched by the suit, accentuating her hourglass figure and leading down to a pair of form-fitting leggings that continued the bat motif. The leggings merged seamlessly into armored boots, giving her a powerful and grounded stance.
As the transformation continued, Vamby's essence became her helmet. The helmet was sleek and aerodynamic, fitting snugly around her head. The visor, tinted a deep brown, gave her a predatory, yet mysterious look, as if she could see through the darkness with ease. The bat-like ears of the helmet twitched slightly, adding an animated, almost lifelike quality to her appearance.
From her back, two large bat-like wings unfurled, similar to Vamby's. The wings were leathery and strong, capable of both flight and powerful strikes. They extended and retracted with ease, responding to her slightest movement and intention.
Jennifer stood there, fully transformed into a ringmaster. The tightness of her armor, especially around her chest, was apparent.
Arata and Cheese watched in awe as Jennifer completed her transformation, her presence commanding respect and attention. She looked over at them, her eyes behind the visor filled with determination and a hint of sorrow.
"Luke Volts! Fight me and Vamby!" Jennifer's voice rang out, clear and defiant. The combination of her transformed state and her unwavering resolve sent a shiver through the room, signaling that the true battle was about to begin.
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